UPDATE: The envelopes and labels being used by the Supervisor of Elections Office for absentee ballots are the same ones they have used in the past. Nothing new was done to the envelopes. Without casting blame on anyone, the problem seems to be occurring with the machines that handle the mail. And the Post Office is on alert and working to get ballots to the Supervisor's Office on time. If you get a ballot returned, please get with your carrier or the post office. Or you can drop it off at the supervisor's office. They have an after hours box to accept ballots. — Lou Elliott Jones, Editor

A spokeswoman for the Chiefland Post Office said the agency is working with its Gainesville and Jacksonville centers to solve an address label issue that is causing absentee ballots to be returned to voters.

Tammy Jones, Supervisor of Elections-elect, speculated that a label with the voter's address on the back of the envelope is being read by the machine routing mail instead of the Supervisor of Elections Office address on the front. Jones was contacted as Supervisor of Elections Connie Asbell is on family leave this week.

The Post Office spokeswoman said the staff noticed a number of absentee ballots were coming back earlier this week and the staff has been working with the regional centers on the issue and will see to it that the envelopes get to the right place. But she expressed concern that the delay could cause some to miss the voting deadline. The spokeswoman said she is contacting Jones to discuss the situation.

If anyone has a ballot returned, please give it to your carrier or take it to the Post Office and they will send it on its way with no extra charge.

Also, voters, please keep in mind that it takes 65 cents to mail in absentee ballots due to the lengthy number of amendments and candidates on the ballot.